Local authorities are uncertain they have sufficient information to justify utility highway work permits, including details about congestion-reduction benefits, a questionnaire suggests this week.

The survey of local highway authorities across the country carried out for software supplier, Exor, also highlighted that a narrow majority intended to introduce permits to allow them to dictate the time and place of works.

Fifty-seven per cent of local authority respondents disagreed with the statement ‘I believe the Department for Transport has provided enough information on the pros and cons of moving to a permitting scheme’.

The survey also suggested scepticism over the congestion-reduction benefits of permits claimed by the Government – 51% of councils disagreed that ‘permitting will reduce congestion’. Councils were concerned about the costs, and uncertain about the benefits.

Despite this, a narrow majority of councils – 52% – planned to introduce permits, and almost half of these by May next year, according to responses to the survey.

The suggestion that many councils are uncertain about the case for permits comes after utilities claimed promoters of the London scheme had failed to demonstrate that it would cut congestion (Surveyor, 26 June).

Local highway authorities outside London planning to introduce permits were now waiting to see how the DfT responded to proposals for the capital.

While there is considerable political pressure for permitting, including from London’s Conservative mayor, councils wanted to ensure they had provided the information necessary for the secretary of state to approve proposals for permit schemes.

The 10 highway authorities behind a proposed common permit scheme for the east of England – planned for introduction next summer – were waiting for the DfT’s response.

Dave Capon, Suffolk County Council’s street works manager, said: ‘We are hoping for a detailed response on the costs and benefits of the London scheme, in order to ensure that our case for permits is as good as it can be.’

He said that permits provided the certainty necessary for councils to fulfil their network-management duty. ‘Notices don’t allow you to direct works promoters to carry out work at certain times,’ he added.

But some council officers responding to the survey – on condition of anonymity – were worried about the new administrative workload. One said: ‘I’m concerned about creating an industry concentrating on producing paperwork.’